The subject invention relates generally to a round bottom conveyor and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a round bottom cnveyor having a "U" shaped liner mounted thereon for increasing the wear life of the conveyor.
Heretofore, there have been various types of material handling conveyors and transfer systems using round bottom conveyors having an endless chain with flights mounted thereon or auger type screws for moving the free-flowing material along the bottom of the trough. These conveyors have used metal liners and other types of material to reduce wear on the bottom of the trough. Also recently conveyor manufacturers have used flights made of ultrahigh molecular weight polymers or commonly called UHMW polyethylene lining material. These flights reduce wear and drag on the trough. The UHMW lining material has been tried in the bottom of round bottom trough conveyors with little success since prior to the subject invention no means has been provided to allow for expansion and contraction of the UHMW lining material The UHMW lining material offers approximately seven times increased wear life when compared to standard sheet steel material used in the trough housing. However, the inherent problem with the UHMW liner material is that it expands and contracts with changes in the ambient temperature approximately ten times more than the standard sheet steel material. This problem of expansion and contraction of the trough liner material is solved by the subject invention.